United States

Australia

China

Economics

Politics

Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell said Canberra would resist U.S. pressure to reduce trade with China, emphasizing that China remains Australia’s largest export market by a wide margin, The Australian Financial Review reported on May 15.

Australia, U.S., China: Canberra Rejects U.S. Trade Pressure on Beijing

Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement for Colombia to join China's Belt and Road Initiative, El Colombiano reported on May 14.

Colombia: Bogota's BRI Membership To Spur Chinese Investments, Risk Deteriorating Ties With U.S.

Taiwan

Energy

Taiwan's legislative opposition passed a bill on May 13 to extend nuclear reactor lifespans from 40 to 60 years, the Taipei Times reported the next day.

Taiwan: Effort To Revive Nuclear Power Likely To Fail, Perpetuate China Risks

Cambodia

Military & Security

China and Cambodia initiated the 2025 iteration of their annual Golden Dragon military drills, the largest ever between the two countries and the largest ever in Cambodian history, which will run through May 28, AFP reported May 14.

China, Cambodia: Beijing, Phnom Penh Kick Off Largest Ever Joint Drills

Saudi Arabia

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security announced on May 13 that it had initiated a rescission of the Biden-era AI Diffusion Rule, which set export quotas on the number of AI chips exported to certain countries, and would issue a replacement rule in the future. 

U.S.: Washington Announces Rescission of AI Diffusion Rule as Nvidia Seals Humain Deal

Haiti

Saint Lucia

China, Latin America, Caribbean: Beijing to Boost Credit, Investment, and Regional Ties After China-CELAC Forum

Philippines

Preliminary results from the Philippines' May 12 midterm elections show that candidates aligned with Vice President Sara Duterte are performing strongly, securing at least four of the 12 contested Senate seats, Rappler reported the same day.

Philippines: Early Tallies Suggest Midterm Elections Skew Pro-Duterte

Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow, Russia, on May 7-9 and released a series of joint statements, the South China Morning Post reported on May 9.

China, Russia: Xi and Putin Meet To Celebrate World War II Anniversary

Snapshots

Supporters of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attend a campaign rally in Mandaluyong, the Philippines, on May 9, 2025, ahead of the midterm elections. 

President Marcos' diminished Senate majority could slow defense deals in the short term and tilt foreign policy back toward neutrality or a China-friendly stance in the long term.

Midterm Elections Deal a Blow to the Philippines' U.S.-Friendly President

Containers are seen at China's Lianyungang port in eastern Jiangsu province on May 1, 2025. 

Global Trade

U.S.-China Relations

Although the U.S.-China trade deal will bring short-term economic relief, negotiations over a broader agreement will remain fraught, particularly since the rapid reduction of U.S. tariffs will embolden China to implement strong retaliation when talks falter.

Despite Tariff Reprieve, a Broader U.S.-China Deal Will Remain Elusive

Assessments

A Chinese frigate participates in a naval parade in the sea near Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province, on April 23, 2019. 

A shift from coastguard to naval confrontations raises the likelihood of sharp, short direct conflict that would significantly worsen already high maritime tensions.

Chinese-Philippine Naval Confrontations Raise the Stakes in South China Sea Tensions

Europe

A digital illustration of the Chinese and EU flags.

Transatlantic trade tensions have created a window for tactical EU-China engagement, but structural constraints and unresolved disputes limit prospects for meaningful realignment.

Budding EU-China Rapprochement Amid U.S. Tariffs Will Have Its Limits

Mexico

Trucks travel by the U.S.-Mexico border after crossing the border into the United States at Otay Mesa, California, on April 2, 2025. 

Although U.S. tariffs will hurt Mexico's economy in the short term, they may eventually grant Mexico a competitive advantage over countries that face even higher duties.

The Buffers That Will Help Mexico Navigate Tariff Turbulence

Japan

South Korea

The Geopolitics of Trade

U.S. reciprocal tariffs will have major economic and political impacts on Japan and South Korea, particularly as both East Asian countries prepare for summer elections.

The Geopolitics of Trade: The Impact of U.S. Tariffs on South Korea and Japan

Ecuador

Iran

Malaysia

Vietnam

Italy

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, on March 11, 2025. 

U.S.-Iran Relations

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Xi Tours Southeast Asia, Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Begin

Taiwan's President Lai inspects troops taking part in the Rapid Response Exercise at the Songshan military airbase in Taipei on March 21, 2025.

Lai's policies to defend sovereignty and curb Chinese influence are prompting greater coercive pressure from Beijing.

In Taiwan, President Lai's Actions Toward China Will Speak Louder Than His Words

Vietnamese garment workers stitch apparel at a factory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on April 3, 2025, after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new tariffs on trading partners.

If the 46% U.S. tariff on Vietnamese goods remains in place, it will quickly destabilize the country's export-reliant economy, creating substantial risks that could compel Hanoi to deepen its reliance on China.

Trump's Tariffs Pose a Structural Threat to Vietnam's Economy

South Africa

Israel

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Ukraine

A list of countries facing reciprocal tariffs on display April 2 at the White House.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Escalating Global Trade War, South Africa's Coalition Government on the Brink

Cranes unload shipping containers from a ship at a port in Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province, on April 2, 2025. 

The timing and scope of Beijing's retaliatory measures signal a significant escalation of its trade war with Washington, which may nonetheless increase the long-term chance of a trade deal.

China Abandons Restraint With Latest Trade Salvo Against the U.S.

Media

Canada

Forecast Webcast

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2025 Second-Quarter Forecast.

2025 Second-Quarter Forecast Webcast

<p>China is situated on the eastern third of the Eurasian landmass, between Russia, mainland Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Its more than 9,000 mile-long coastline abuts the Yellow, East and South China Seas. China is a country of deep geographic divisions. Most fundamental is the split between its fertile eastern lowlands and the arid, sparsely populated highlands that enclose the lowlands like a shell. More than a billion people live in the ethnic Han Chinese core, making it one of the most densely populated places on Earth. Traditionally, threats to China&#39;s Han core originated in the borderlands. To guard against overland invasion, successive Chinese rulers have sought to push the Core&#39;s borders outward &mdash;integrating these highlands as strategic &quot;buffer&quot; zones. These zones form a shield, protecting and containing the core. To be secure, China must control the buffer regions. But maintaining control of the regions, in turn, requires a strong and united core. And that means overcoming immense internal divisions &mdash; not only between northern and southern regions orbiting the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, but also between smaller regional units, each with their own geography, history, dialect and interests. Chinese history is defined by cycles of unity and fragmentation, from periods when a strong Han core captures and holds the surrounding buffers to those when a weak core breaks into its constituent parts, loses internal coherence and cedes control of the borderlands. This pattern, rooted in China&#39;s geography, has played out with remarkable consistency. By comparison, China&#39;s maritime interests have remained mostly limited to coastal waters. Today, however, growing international trade and rising Chinese reliance on overseas resources threaten to alter the pattern, adding a new maritime dimension to the struggle for buffer space &mdash; and potentially upending the long-standing dynamics of China&#39;s geographic challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Australia, U.S., China: Canberra Rejects U.S. Trade Pressure on Beijing

Colombia: Bogota's BRI Membership To Spur Chinese Investments, Risk Deteriorating Ties With U.S.

Taiwan: Effort To Revive Nuclear Power Likely To Fail, Perpetuate China Risks

China, Cambodia: Beijing, Phnom Penh Kick Off Largest Ever Joint Drills

U.S.: Washington Announces Rescission of AI Diffusion Rule as Nvidia Seals Humain Deal

China, Latin America, Caribbean: Beijing to Boost Credit, Investment, and Regional Ties After China-CELAC Forum

Philippines: Early Tallies Suggest Midterm Elections Skew Pro-Duterte

China, Russia: Xi and Putin Meet To Celebrate World War II Anniversary

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